As textile materials for sportswear, synthetic fibers have hitherto been used mainly and widely for their outstanding functional features; sportswear made thereof is now gradually gaining in importance also as homewear or casual wear.
A known problem of such sportswear made of or primarily of synthetic fibers is that when a player falls or slides on the floor of a gymnasium, the resultant impact or instantaneous friction against the floor may cause partial melting of the clothing from the heat of friction to create a hole in it. Synthetic fibers are known to have an innate vulnerability to heat, but it is only recently that this phenomenon was taken up as a serious problem.
As for prevention of such melting by sliding friction of synthetic knitted or woven fabrics, there have been known a number of processing techniques such as the method of blending a cellulosic fiber or inter-knitting or -weaving yarns thereof, of increasing the weight or of lowering surface friction coefficient of the fabric by the use of some textile lubricating agents.
Textile lubricants now used are aqueous emulsions of dimethylpolysiloxane, paraffin wax, aliphatic amide etc. as well as aqueous emulsions of high-melting point waxes. These lubricants are shown in Laid-open Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 91994/77, 121600/77, 61800/78 and 80581/80.
Such treatment of knitted or woven fabrics with lubricating agents is effective, indeed, for prevention of melting by sliding friction but this effect is less durable and is lost completely after 2-3 household washings, whereas sportswear which by nature is highly subject to soiling with sweat and dirt or from friction against the floor requires frequent washing, up to dozens of times. Moreover, treatment with textile lubricating agents such as dimethylpolysiloxane has the disadvantage of making the products oily to the touch.
Laid-Open Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 71871/77 shows to use a reactive silicone compound with a melamine derivatives, but this treatment has a disadvantage of making the products too hard.